You know, I was remembering the song "Elusive Butterfly" and how much I love that song and recalling when I was very young how I listened to Glenn Campbell's songs off an old record player. I had several Glenn Campbell albums and there was nothing that would imply using "Spotify" or "Shazam" or any other programs on a "cell phone" much less internet and computers in almost every home. Time sure has passed and the years are still rolling by pretty fast and many of our parents are wreaked with disease and some passed on, but like my mother, many have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Dementia. I had to put my mother in a nursing facility back in early September of 2015. I was told that she was going to progressively get worse and that there was nothing that I could do about it. My mother could not remember my name. She was lost and I saw no way she could ever possibly come back to us. She was gradually getting worse. Currently, my mother is 77 years old and what the doctors told me, well, they were wrong. Mom is now able to carry on a normal conversation. She remembers many details she did not remember for a long time like her date of birth, the number of brothers and sisters she has and she remembers details of the past that even I can't remember. My mother, in three months, has started to show major improvement. I decided to give her a product that I heard many good things about on my own. In fact, I go see her every night between 10:00 p.m. and midnight, because her body is at rest and because they are not giving her medication at night. I found that my mother's behaviors have improved tremendously so all that stuff that doctors say that Alzheimer's has no cure, well, that might be true, but if that is true, how can it be that my mother is showing improvement every day? At first, I was skeptical, but on the third day of giving her the product, as I looked down at my mother while she slept, I saw that her rosy color in her cheeks was back. So I am here to tell you, don't give up on your loved one. Yes, there are things out that that will improve a person's quality of life, some more than others. Do not stop believing in miracles.

Kris' story is a good example of why testing and re-testing and second/third/whatever-it-takes opinions are so important in obtaining an accurate, early diagnosis regardless of the disease, symptoms, etc., just my opinion based on personal experiences (and fortunately not related to the diagnosis or misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease). Been there, done that, doing that; please don't give up on yourself or your loved one.
Dee

Kris Kristofferson: An Outlaw at 80Country legend has faced memory loss and the death of old friends, and has also found peace – just don’t try to tell him what to do
Rolling Stone Country
By Neil Strauss
June 6, 2016

This post is about a new Hollywood movie script "Reagan"--a comedy--about former President Ronald Reagan that would be set at the start of the late president’s second term and that would erroneously present him as a bumbling, easily-fooled President when succumbing to dementia. The character Reagan is convinced by an ambitious intern that he’s actually an actor playing the president in a movie. Actor and comedian Will Ferrell announced last week that he would be playing this "comedic" role.

Is there any humor about a person with Alzheimer's disease?

What was Will Ferrell thinking?
What was the script writer, Mike Rosolio, thinking?
Why did this script have the support of 25 Hollywood executives?

Hi. I just watched Glens movie. I put a message on Mr. Campbells official Facebook page with this info also. Just wanted to see if you would be able to give the family a Doctors name who specializes in brain issues and does special brain scans. Sees patients with Alzheimers, or ADD as both are diseases of the brain. His name is Dr. Daniel Amen, in Costa Mesa (might be Newport Beach) California. He has programs on PBS, best seller books he has written. He should be easy to research on the internet. He might be someone the family may want to consider for Mr. Campbell to at least have a consult done. Hoping you would be able to pass this info along to the family. Thank you for any help you could give me.

Kim Campbell had recommended a book, "The 36-Hour Day" by Dr. Peter Rabins and Nancy L. Mace, M.A., at a screening of "I'll Be Me". Written to assist caretakers, it is a New York Times best seller with more than 3.5 million copies sold in 18 languages. Since its original publication 30 years ago, it has been updated to include information regarding the causes of dementia, managing the early stages of dementia, the prevention of dementia, and finding appropriate living arrangements for the person who has dementia when home care is no longer an option.

Dr. Rabins is widely regarded as "one of the world’s foremost experts in the treatment of and research on Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, depression, anxiety and family care issues of aging persons and their care givers." He was recently appointed Professor of the Practice and Director of Research with the Erickson School, UMBC. (http://erickson.umbc.edu/rabins/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Nancy L. Mace, M.A. was a consultant to and member of the board of directors of the Alzheimer’s Association and an assistant in psychiatry and coordinator of the T. (Thomas) Rowe and Eleanor Price Teaching Service of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

I am finding this publication to be a helpful resource for my own personal situation and hope it will help you, too. Some of the information is applicable to caring for seniors in general, helping to make their lives a little easier, less stressful.

Great item acoustic59. Welcome to the forums, great to have you along.
I agree with your comments and it never ceases to amaze me how much good music does in all aspects of life. Apparently even plants and animals respond to different types of music. I have always noticed that when a particular song starts to play on the radio I feel the way I felt at the first time I heard it. It also takes me back to that time. I.E. childhood summers etc. It always seems to be happy times which stay in the mind better I find.
Dee,
That is sad that you can't find a campus to offer this kind of course. Perhaps with all this research and films like this and of course Glen's film, which was an eye opener for many, in regards to the impact of music on Glen's abilities to remember. It may mean money will filter into these areas for the advancement of this area of research, which may open up new opportunities for you. I really hope so.

Thanks so much for posting about "Alive Inside", and the benefits of music therapy, acoustic59.
No, we haven't yet discussed this particular film although we have touched on music's therapeutic benefits (see the topic, "Inspirational Projects Address Alzheimer's Disease" in this Living the Legacy forum) but not to any great extent.
It was interesting for me to learn that music activates almost all parts of the brain (something I never knew).
Glen Campbell certainly benefited by performing as long as he could on his Goodbye Tour.
On a personal level, I am interested in obtaining certification in art/music therapy but was surprised and disappointed to find out that there are only a limited number of colleges and universities in the U.S. that offer a certified program in this field.
Hopefully, these educational programs will become more prevalent as awareness increases with regard to art/music therapy.
All the best to you, too!
Dee

I don't know if this has been discussed already on this forum, but just wanted to share this:

The recent documentary "Alive Inside: A Story of Music and Memory" directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett, illustrates how the simple act of loading up an ipod with the patient's favorite music (what they grew up listening to) and placing headphones on them...had almost immediate positive effects on even the most isolated and withdrawn Alzheimer patients. It seemed to me that the music (which activates almost all parts of the brain when listening to) acts as a "lifeline" to find them where they are in their minds and pull them back to who they were during the music sessions. It really seemed to calm them down and allow re-connections with family in a wonderful way. Hope the this is of some help. All the best!

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